1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to the field of accessories for Portable Electronic Devices (PEDs) such as cellphones and PDAs, and more specifically to devices and methods for supporting a PED and notifying a user who may not longer be carrying the PED.
2. Description of the Related Art
Portable Electronic Devices (PEDs) such as cell phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and the like are proliferating. A number of them can perform wireless communication, such as permit the user to conduct a telephone conversation, exchange emails or text messages, and so on. Such activities are often via an interface of the device, which can conduct a dialogue with the user, and so on.
In a number of instances, these activities start with an event, such as a PED receiving a telephone call, or receiving an email or text message. For these instances, PEDs notify the users of the event, such as by producing a sound or a vibration, depending on the annunciation mode that the user has chosen. Examples are now described.
FIG. 1 is a diagram of a mobile telephone 100, as it might be carried on a belt 110 of a user (not shown). Mobile telephone 100 is on standby, meaning that it is on, but the user is not using it to conduct a wireless telephone call. Mobile telephone 100 can be set in any annunciation mode 136, which can be either to ring (“Normal”), or to vibrate (“Silent”), if it is to notify its user that it received a wireless signal.
FIG. 2 is a diagram of mobile telephone 100, while receiving a telephone call via a wireless signal 240. For purposes of FIG. 2, mobile telephone 100 has been placed by the user in a “Normal” annunciation mode 236, and therefore rings 250 to notify the user. Ringing 250 can be by generating a ring tone.
This ringing 250 has been undesirable in some settings, where people must keep quiet. These settings are not just theaters, but sometimes also the workplace. For example, ring tones alone can distract coworkers. Accordingly, the “Silent” annunciation mode has been implemented, as described below.
FIG. 3 is a diagram of mobile telephone 100, while receiving a telephone call via a wireless signal 340. For purposes of FIG. 3, mobile telephone 100 has been placed by the user in a “Silent” annunciation mode 336, and therefore it vibrates 350 to notify the user, instead of ringing.
PEDs permit the user to change the annunciation mode, from “Normal” 236 to “Silent” 336 and back. So, nominally, they can change it to “Silent” 336 every time they enter a place where they have to keep quiet, and back to “Normal” 236 every time they exit such a place.
A problem arises from the fact that it is the user who is required to keep transitioning the PED between the different annunciation modes. Sometimes they forget, resulting in embarrassment if their phone rings when it should not. Others give up, especially when they realize that they can still perceive the vibration, and do not need the ringing of the “Normal” annunciation mode 236. So, they just leave the phone in the “Silent” annunciation mode 336. When they go home, they turn it off, and instead rely on the land line of the home telephone for their telephone conversations.
In some instances, however, they forget to turn off the mobile telephone. As seen in FIG. 4, mobile telephone 100 has been left on a surface 401, such as a table or a desk. Upon receiving a signal 440, mobile telephone 100 vibrates 350 to notify the user. But the user could have walked to another room, and will miss the call because they will not feel the vibration or hear a ringing.